Abu Umama said the Prophet used to pray the two of them after the witr seated, and recited in the course of them, “When the earth is shaken’’, 1 and "Say, O infidels."2
Thauban reported the Prophet as saying, “This wakefulness is a toil and a burden, so when one of you observes a witr he should pray two rak'as. If he gets up during the night, well and good; otherwise they will serve for him."
Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger wished to invoke a curse or a blessing on someone he stood in supplication after bowing, and when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he often said, “Praise be to Thee, our Lord! O God, rescue al-Walid b. al-Walid, Salama b. Hisham and ‘Ayyash b. Abu Rabi'a.1 O God, trample severely on Mudar and cause them a famine like that of Joseph,”2 saying that in a loud voice. And he would sometimes say in the course of his prayer, “O God, curse so and so and so and so of the tribes of the Arabs,” till God revealed, “You have nothing to do with the matter. . .”3
1. These were men who were persecuted for their faith and held prisoners.
2. The famine in the time of Joseph lasted seven years.
3. Al-Qur’an; 3:128.
‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to observe a witr with one rak'a, then he performed two rak'as reciting the Qur’an in the course of them seated. When he wished to bow, he stood up and bowed.
